


Something Special

by Dreamin



Series: Fictober 2019 [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Professors, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Past Abuse, Sharing a Bed, a couple of DC cameos, from a previous relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2020-11-23 06:09:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20887397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: When a rival university tries to recruit history professor Steve, he asks his assistant Darcy to come along. He has no idea she's secretly in love with him. Does he feel the same?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).

> Inspired by a Fictober19 prompt afteriwake sent me (which I'll reveal when I use it in a future chapter).

Darcy ran through the checklist on her phone. “Laptop?” It was a late Sunday afternoon in mid-October and, as usual, she was helping her boss get ready for the week ahead.

“In the bag, ready to go,” Steve said confidently.

_Where have I heard that before?_ She looked up at him, one eyebrow raised. “Power cord? Thumb drive?”

The man she’d been secretly in love with for three years and counting blushed beneath his beard. “Um, no.” He got up from behind his desk and went looking for the necessary items.

When he walked past Darcy, the smell of his cedarwood and sage cologne was almost enough to make her grab his blue plaid flannel shirt and pull him in for a kiss. Almost. What stopped her, of course, was the fact that he was the professor, she was the teaching assistant, and there were rules about that sort of thing.

Not that those rules ever got in the way of her fantasies. In her head, Steve was a sex god and proved it on a daily basis. The fantasies left Darcy with a lot of longing but she was 99.9% sure Steve had no idea she had fallen for him and she intended to keep it that way. _I’m fine with the way things are._

Steve put the power cord and thumb drive in his laptop bag, zipped it up, then turned back to her. “What else?”

She checked the list again. “Your notes for the lecture?”

He patted the breast pocket of his shirt, where the tops of a handful of index cards stuck out. “Right here,” he said confidently.

“Suitcase?”

“In the car.”

Darcy smiled a bit. “You did remember to pack everything this time?”

He blushed adorably, in her opinion. “Yes, including underwear.”

“Good. Phone?”

Steve patted the back pocket of his jeans. “Right here.”

_I wish I could’ve done that,_ she thought, smirking. “Charger for the phone?”

“In the suitcase.”

“You’re sure?”

He grinned, making her stomach do a little flip. “Positive.”

“Oookay,” Darcy said, smiling a bit. Thankfully, she had snuck a spare charger in his laptop bag, just in case. “E-reader?”

He rolled his eyes fondly. “Still in its box. I’ve got five books in the car.” Steve was glacially slow when it came to adopting new technology. His phone wasn’t a smartphone, he’d only bought his first laptop two years ago, and he’d finally gotten an iPod Classic just before they were retired.

“Five books?” she asked, surprised. “I thought you were only going to be there two days.” _Even he can’t read that fast._

“Er, yeah, about that…” He raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. “They actually invited me to stay for a week, all expenses paid. I get the feeling they’re going to try to get me to join them.”

_Shit…_ “One, DCEU can’t have you, you belong at MCU,” Darcy said firmly. “Two, I can’t cover a whole week of classes.”

Steve chuckled, relaxing. “I’ll accept their attempt to wine and dine me but I wouldn’t dream of leaving MCU. And you don’t have to worry, Phil’s covering all of my classes.”

She stared at him. “You got the dean of the history department to cover your classes for an entire week?”

“Yeah – no one else was available. Bucky did offer…”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Barnes teaches abnormal psychology.”

“He minored in history.”

She smiled a bit, thinking about the quiet guy suddenly spending a lot of time in a building that was definitely not where the psych classes were held. “Well, these days, he has special interest in Russian.”

Steve smirked. “You mean in **a** Russian.”

Darcy blinked in surprise. “You knew?”

His smile widened to a grin. “Of course – I’m the one who told him to go for it. Nat’s great.”

“If by ‘great,’ you mean ‘scary,’ then yeah, I agree.” The university’s new Russian language professor was intimidating to say the least.

He chuckled. “I’m sure the ‘trained by ex-KGB members’ story is just a campus legend.” He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out an envelope, handing it to her.

“You know,” she said as she opened the unsealed envelope and pulled out the folded letter, “most people write emails these days.”

“I do too,” he protested genially, “I just think actual, paper letters are better.”

“Luddite,” she muttered fondly as she read the letter, then she looked up at him. “This says you’re welcome to bring a guest.”

Steve just grinned at her.

Darcy raised an eyebrow. “And you were going to tell me this when?”

“Before I left, of course.”

“But the classes…”

“Melinda will fill in for you with Phil. You’re overdue for some time off, Darce.”

She smiled a bit. “Yeah, following you around, making sure you don’t forget anything, and running interference when someone brings up social media – in short, exactly what I do for you every day. Some vacation.”

He chuckled. “Tell you what – come with me and I’ll arrange for you to have a real vacation, all expenses paid.”

_Now there’s a deal I can get behind. Still, a week with the most perfect man on the planet and no classes to distract me? _“Um, can I have some time to think about it?”

“Darcy…”

“Just … give me an hour, okay?”

“Okay,” he relented, smiling a bit. “Meet you back here in an hour?”

“It’ll be dinnertime by then – meet you at Happy’s?” The off-campus diner was a favorite among the faculty.

Steve grinned. “Sure.”

As soon as she was out of sight of Steve’s office window, Darcy ran to Jane’s office halfway across campus. The astrophysics professor, and Darcy’s old boss, was at her desk, writing out equations in a notebook.

“Forty-two,” Darcy said, smirking, as she plopped into the empty seat in front of the desk.

Jane rolled her eyes but didn’t look up at her. “That’s not really the answer to everything, you know.”

“Yeah, but I bet you wrote down 42 when I said it.”

She crossed out the number then looked up at her. “What brings you by? Besides giving me the wrong answers, I mean.”

“I need some advice.”

“Astronomy, not astrology,” she said, smiling a bit.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “I mean about men.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. “All men or one 20th Century History professor in particular?”

She blushed. “Um, the latter.”

“Are you **ever** going to tell Steve how you feel?”

“I can’t date Steve while he’s my boss.”

Jane sighed quietly. “A heart can only take so much unrequited love before it breaks. You have to make a choice, Darcy – Professor Steve or Boyfriend Steve?”

“I don’t want things to change,” Darcy said quietly, one hand idly playing with a stray paperclip. “I love being Steve’s assistant. I love grading his students’ papers and making sure he remembers to actually write the test.”

“And your feelings for him?” Jane asked gently.

“Safely bottled up until I’m home.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure about that?”

“Positive.”

Jane picked up her phone then brought up a photo and showed it to Darcy. It had been taken at the faculty picnic the month before. There was Steve, smiling and gesturing widely as he told an anecdote. Everyone in their small circle of young professors and TAs was laughing, except for Darcy. She was sitting behind Steve, gazing at him with a dreamy expression.

“And if you’re wondering, no one saw that look on your face but me,” Jane said as she deleted the photo then set her phone down. “But you might not be so lucky next time. If Fury thought one of his professors was having an affair with their TA-”

“All hell would break loose,” Darcy finished for her quietly. The university’s dean was known for being a hard-ass.

“Worse – you’d both lose your jobs.”

“I can’t do that to Steve.”

“Or yourself.”

“What happens to me doesn’t matter,” she insisted, “I’ve got things I can fall back on, but teaching is Steve’s life and MCU is his home.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Darcy – you’re his home too,” Jane said with a soft smile.

Darcy waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m just his spare brain. I can’t leave Steve without a TA, even to be his girlfriend.”

“He’s that absent-minded?”

She smiled a bit. “I just had to make sure he remembered to pack underwear this time, what do you think?”

Jane chuckled. “Almost as bad as me.”

“You were only bad when you were in full-on scientist mode. All I had to do then was made sure you got your coffee, Pop-Tarts, and bathroom breaks on time and transcribe your notes.” She smiled a bit. “Thank God those were just over the summer. You’re a lot more human the rest of the year.”

“Thanks, I think,” Jane said, smiling. “I have Thor looking after me now. He does a pretty good job, though his shorthand is severely lacking.”

She grinned. “That’s the difference between a boyfriend and an assistant. Are you two ever gonna take the plunge?”

Jane shrugged. “Maybe? We’re in no hurry.”

Darcy, who had gone with Thor a month ago to look at engagement rings for Jane, just smiled. “Well, if you do get married-”

“You’ll be my wedding planner, I know,” Jane said, smiling fondly. “You’ve said that since I met Thor.”

She grinned. “‘If you want something done right…’”

“Let you do it?” Jane finished.

“Yep!”

Jane chuckled. “So, what brings you by? It can’t be my relationship status.”

“Steve’s trip to DCEU? He asked me to join him.”

She grinned. “Ah, so it’s about your relationship status.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that. He’ll be gone for a week and he and I both know he can’t last that long without me.”

“Uh huh.”

“There’s not gonna be anything romantic about this,” she insisted. “It’ll be exactly like it is here, we’ll just be on enemy territory.”

Jane smiled a bit. “Maybe while you’re there, you can tell Steve how you feel.”

“Nope, nuh-uh, not going there. I’ll just … bury my feelings so deep that even I can’t find them.”

“Darcy … that’s far from healthy.”

“Steve doesn’t need a girlfriend. God, I can’t even remember the last time he had one. But he can’t last more than three days without me.”

“That’s not exactly healthy either.”

“It’s fine,” Darcy insisted. “Some people just have short-term memory problems.”

“Think about what I said,” Jane said gently.

She sighed heavily. “Fine, I’ll think about it.”

“Thank you. What are you going to wear?”

Darcy’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, I need to go shopping.”


	2. Chapter 2

Steve looked up from his book when someone slid into the other side of his and Darcy’s usual booth at Happy’s. He tried not to let his disappointment show when he saw his new tablemate was his best friend instead of the woman he was hopelessly and inappropriately in love with, but Bucky was a little too observant.

“Sorry,” Bucky said, his smile anything but apologetic. “Not the gorgeous brunette you were looking for.”

Steve groaned quietly. “Am I really that obvious?”

“Only to someone who’s known you as long as I have.” He shrugged out of his coat but kept his left glove on. Bucky’s prosthetic left arm was a marvel of modern engineering, courtesy of a joint effort between their fellow MCU professor (and friend) Tony Stark and an engineering prodigy named Shuri Udaku, but he was still uncomfortable showing it in public. “Fury doesn’t know a thing.”

“I’d like to keep it that way. And you’re not staying, she’ll be here any minute.” Darcy had texted him that she was going to do some last-minute shopping with Jane before dinner.

Bucky grinned. “Maybe I should stay – you two obviously need a chaperone.”

Steve felt his face get warm. “No, we don’t.”

“Okay,” his best friend conceded, “not here, but at DCEU, definitely.” He lowered his voice to add, “I can’t believe you’re going to be alone in a hotel room with her all week and you think nothing’s going to happen.”

He blushed brighter, muttering, “It’s two rooms. And this trip isn’t about sex, it’s about me convincing Darcy that I’d rather have her as my girlfriend than my TA.”

“So, while DCEU is wining and dining you, you’re wining and dining Darcy, got it.”

“Something like that,” Steve admitted.

Bucky grinned. “I wish you luck, pal.” He looked past Steve to the front door then got up and grabbed his coat. “You’re gonna need it.” Grinning at the approaching Darcy, he added, “Hey, Lewis. I’m glad you’re here, Steve was wasting away without you.”

“Hi, Barnes.” Darcy rolled her eyes. “I told him to go ahead and start without me.” She took off her coat then sat down across from him.

“Have fun, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Bucky said, grinning, as he headed for his own favorite booth, where Nat was waiting.

Steve waved him off, feeling his mood instantly lift as he looked at Darcy. “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I started without you, now would I?” he asked, grinning.

“Uh huh,” she muttered, but a smile tugged at her lips.

Neither of them bothered with the menus. When the waitress came, they ordered their usual – a burger, fries, and an iced tea for Steve, and a chef’s salad and a Coke for Darcy. As soon as the waitress left, Steve smiled fondly.

“You know, you didn’t have to buy an entire new wardrobe, Darce,” he said. “The clothes you already had were fine.”

She smirked. “You’ve been single too long, Steve. A woman will use any excuse to buy more clothes.”

“Uh huh.”

“Besides, if I’m going into enemy territory, I need the best armor.”

“DCEU’s not really our enemy,” he said, amused.

“They’re our biggest rival.”

“Yeah, but we don’t go to actual war with them.”

Darcy smirked again and he had a strong urge to kiss it off her face. “You don’t watch football, do you?”

Steve chuckled. “I can hear the roar from the stadium at my place on home game Saturdays, I don’t need to.”

“Uh huh.”

When their food and drinks arrived, they ate in companionable silence for a while. Steve kept sneaking glances at Darcy when she wasn’t looking, wishing he had the guts to tell her how he felt. _Stare down a lecture hall full of students? No problem. Tell Darcy you’d like to worship at her feet? Scared shitless. _He sighed heavily.

“Hey, what is it?” Darcy asked, immediately concerned. “I’m not mad, if that’s what’s bugging you. I mean, yeah, I could’ve used a little more notice, but it’s fine.”

Steve smiled a bit. “You really don’t mind me dragging you to Washington for a week?”

“I’m fine with it,” she said, leaning over to snag a French fry off his plate, “but are you okay with being alone in a car with me for four hours?” She ate the fry, grinning at him.

_It’ll be exquisite torture, but I think I’ll endure it._ He smirked. “If you’re referring to your obsession with the current Billboard hits, need I remind you that ‘driver picks the music?’”

She smirked back. “Okay, fine, but if you think I’m gonna shut my cakehole for four hours, you don’t know me very well.”

Steve chuckled. “I fully expect you to keep my mind from wandering.”

“Don’t I always?” She grabbed the pickle spear from his plate and started munching on it, her eyes dancing.

That brought images to his mind that definitely weren’t appropriate for a “family” restaurant. He chuckled again. “That you do, Darce. That you do.”

* * *

Steve was up well before dawn the next morning. After one more check to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, he drove to Starbucks then to Darcy’s apartment building. She buzzed him in then he took the elevator up to her floor, trying hard not to fidget.

_What do I have to be nervous about? It’s just me, in a car, with the woman I can’t get enough of, for four hours._

_Shit…_

Darcy opened her front door when he knocked, looking for all the world like a grumpy … some kind of adorable but grumpy animal. Steve’s mind had a hard time working when he saw her fully dressed but half-asleep.

He held up one of the Starbucks cups, grinning. “Pumpkin Spice Latte, your favorite.”

She’d grabbed it before he was finished speaking and took a sip. “You’re handy, I’ll keep you around,” she muttered then she took another sip.

Steve chuckled. “I’m glad to know you can still be bribed with caffeine.”

“Always. Just let grab my stuff and we can hit the road.”

Once they were in the car, Steve turned on his favorite radio station and “Glory of Love” started playing. He secretly loved that song.

“Ugh,” Darcy groaned overdramatically. “This song is so corny.”

“I think it’s sweet.” He started to sing along softly, _“I am the man who will fight for your honor. I’ll be the hero you’ve been dreaming of.” _With his eyes on the road, he couldn’t see her face, but he could feel her eyes on him and he felt his face warming. “Is my singing really that bad?”

“Um … no … that’s not the word I’d use.”

Steve chuckled nervously. “Thanks, I think.” He took a sip of his coffee.

Darcy settled back in her seat and took another sip of her latte, smiling. “You’re welcome.” She paused then asked, “Are you sure you packed your phone charger?” Her smirk was audible.

He cursed quietly. “It’s on the kitchen table. I walked right past it this morning and it didn’t even register that it was something I should’ve grabbed.”

“I thought you said last night you packed it.”

“I did,” he admitted, “but then I had to use it. We should turn back.”

“No need, I snuck your spare in your laptop bag.”

Steve chuckled, relaxing. “You knew this would happen.”

“I knew it was a strong possibility. I’ve got your back, Steve.”

“Always,” he murmured.

* * *

“Exit,” Steve declared as they drove past the sign.

“Doesn’t count,” Darcy insisted. “‘Exit’ starts with E.”

“But nothing starts with X.”

“Not this direction, but maybe on the way back, we’ll see a sign for Xavier School for the Gifted.”

Steve would’ve rolled his eyes if he wasn’t watching the road. “I don’t think they advertise.”

“You’re probably right,” she conceded. “Okay, fine, you’ve got your X.”

He grinned triumphantly. “Thank you.” He checked the GPS. “We’re almost at the hotel.”

Darcy smirked. “We’ll stop now, but on the way back, we’re starting with Y.”

He chuckled. “If you say so, Darce.”

It wasn’t until they checked in that Steve realized he’d forgotten something a lot bigger than a phone charger. “I thought I booked two rooms.”

“I’m showing yourself and a guest in one room,” the woman behind the desk said as she looked at the monitor.

“Can we get a second room?” Darcy asked.

The woman double-checked the reservations. “We’re full, I’m sorry.”

“We’ll take the one room,” Steve said. “I’m sure we can make it work.”

Darcy didn’t protest but her skeptical look was clear. As soon as they were shown the room, Steve understood her skepticism – the small room was dominated by a queen bed with a padded bench at the foot. A minuscule desk and chair were in the far corner of the room, and a flat-screen TV rested on a wide, low dresser. There was a small lamp on the desk, a floor lamp in the corner by the bed, and small lamps resting on floating shelves on either side of the bed, and an overhead light on the ceiling. Late morning light streamed through the gauzy white curtains on the window.

“At least there’s plenty of light,” Darcy said quietly, the dismay on her face loud and clear.

The room was so small that there wasn’t even enough space for him to lay on the floor. He eyed the desk chair skeptically. “I can sit up all night.”

“You think so, huh?” she muttered as she walked over to the chair and sat down. It held her comfortably but since he had nine and a half inches and quite a few pounds on her, they both knew the little chair wouldn’t support him. “I’ll take the chair.”

He smiled weakly. “What kind of gentleman would I be if I took the bed?”

“Steve…” She sighed quietly then got up and went over to the bed. “It’s a queen, we’re adults. We can share the bed for a week without anything happening.”

The look on her face told him she was as doubtful about that as he was.

_It’s going to be a long week._


	3. Chapter 3

Darcy wasted no time unpacking her suitcase and garment bag, blushing when she realized how much space her stuff took up in both the dresser and the tiny closet. “Sorry,” she muttered.

Steve grinned. “It’s okay, Darce. Looking a little rumpled will only enhance my absent-minded professor persona.”

She couldn’t help grinning back. “Go with what works.”

“Exactly.” He unpacked his clothes while she pulled up the campus map on her phone.

“You said they want to meet us in front of the Wayne Administration Building?” she asked, looking up at him and getting a very nice view of his ass in tight jeans. Even partially obscured by his navy blue sweater, it was the best sight she’d seen all morning. _Well, second best – his eyes are always the best._

“Yeah – Dean Pennyworth is in meetings all day but Prof. Prince will show us around. She said to look for the building that looks like a brick castle.”

Darcy bit her lower lip, not wanting to reveal her secret, and only stopped long enough to say, “I’m sure it won’t be hard to find.”

Steve turned to her, his eyes falling to her lips, then he met her eyes again. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. When he raised an eyebrow, she knew it was too quickly.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” _Liar, liar, panties on fire._ A sudden mental image of Steve slowly, teasingly relieving her of said panties made her cheeks burn. _Ugh, I gotta get out of here._ Shrugging back into her coat, she grabbed both room cards and her purse then headed for the door. “C’mon.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, grinning, as he followed her.

* * *

As soon as the Wayne Administration Building came into view, Steve let out a low whistle. “Prof. Prince wasn’t kidding.”

“It was Wayne Manor before the family donated the estate to what was then still just a pre-law college.”

Steve parked the car in a parking space close to the front door then looked at her. “Something tells me you didn’t read that in a brochure.”

“Wikipedia,” she muttered, not meeting his eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her purse, and got out of the car. She knew by his silence that Steve didn’t believe her but this wasn’t the time or place to go into it.

A man and a woman were coming down the front steps as Steve and Darcy approached. She knew exactly who they were but she decided to feign ignorance for as long as she could. Both of them looked like they had just walked off a New York Fashion Week runway, making Darcy feel like she was still in her pajamas compared to them.

“You must be Prof. Rogers,” the man said, grinning as he held out his hand to Steve. “I’m Prof. Wayne and this is Prof. Prince.”

Steve shook his hand, smiling back. “Please, call me Steve.”

“Bruce, then.”

“Diana,” the woman said, smiling, when Steve shook her hand. “Your name will be easy to remember – Steve is also the name of my husband.”

He chuckled. “Everyone knows a Steve. We have a Stephen-with-a-P-H teaching pre-med.”

“But he refuses to go by ‘Steve,’” Darcy added, grinning.

“Just like I never go by Steven,” he said, grinning back at her, then he turned to Bruce and Diana. “This is my assistant-”

“Darcy Lewis,” Bruce said, grinning, as he held out his hand to her.

She shook it, smiling weakly. “Hi, Bruce.”

“You’ve met?” Steve asked, dumbfounded and, unless Darcy was really misreading the look in his eyes, more than a little jealous.

_What the hell is that about?_ she wondered.

Diana smiled a bit. “We tried to recruit Darcy last year but she turned us down. I can see why.” She held out a hand to Darcy. “It’s good to see you again, I don’t suppose this means you changed your mind?”

She grinned as she shook her hand. “Nope, I’m just here for moral support.”

Steve, though, was definitely not smiling. “Diana, Bruce, will you excuse us for a moment? I need to have a word with my assistant.”

_Oh shit,_ Darcy thought. _I’m in trouble. And not the fun kind._

“Something tells me this will take more than a moment,” Bruce said sympathetically. “Diana and I were going to take you to lunch but you two obviously have a lot to discuss. Why don’t we meet back here at 2 and we’ll take you on a tour of the campus?”

“Works for me,” Darcy said, not giving Steve a chance to respond. _Not that it looks like he wants to, he’s too busy glaring at me._

“Thank you,” Steve muttered before taking her elbow and guiding her back to the car. He didn’t say anything as they got in and drove out of the parking lot. When they were finally off campus and going down a main street, Steve glanced at the fast food restaurants then headed for the Burger King, only muttering, “The usual?”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. _Though I doubt I’ll be able to eat, my stomach’s in a knot already. Just say something, Steve!_

After they pulled out of the drive-thru, the bag of food tucked securely by Darcy’s feet and the drinks in the cup holders, she decided she should be the one to end the silence. “Steve-”

“Not here,” he said firmly, his eyes on the road. “We’ve had a lot of good memories in this car, I don’t want our first real fight mixed in with them.”

Blinking away sudden tears, she turned to the window, silently watching the world pass outside. _It should be raining._

Once they were back in their hotel room, Steve eyed the bed then grabbed the spare blanket from the closet and spread it out on the floor beside the bed, giving them just enough space to sit down. He silently handed Darcy her Whopper Jr, fries, and Dr. Pepper then he leaned his back against the side of the bed, watching her. “Just tell me why you turned down a TA position at DCEU and, for that matter, why you never told me they made the offer.”

Darcy busied herself with taking a sip of her drink then unwrapping her burger, avoiding Steve’s eyes. Finally, she sighed quietly. “It … um … it wasn’t…” She took a deep breath then looked at him. “They offered to make me a full-fledged professor.”

He stared at her. “Why the hell didn’t you take it? And don’t say it’s because you’re not qualified – you have a master’s degree.”

She knew he wasn’t angry at her, just really disappointed. _And everyone knows that’s worse._ “Why do you think, Steve?” she muttered, turning back to her food. She took a bite of her burger, willing him to just drop the subject.

Even without looking, she could feel his eyes on her. “I’m not helpless,” he insisted.

“I never said you were,” she said quietly, still not looking at him. “But you do need help, there’s a difference.”

“What I need is to not hold you back. You deserve a professorship, you should’ve taken it.”

Darcy groaned in frustration. “See, this is why I didn’t tell you last year. I knew you’d get upset.”

“I’m not upset,” he insisted. One skeptical look from her and he went on. “You mean the world to me, Darcy. You deserve the best of everything, including careers. Keeping you all to myself is hurting you. What other opportunities have you missed because of me?”

She knew he meant that last to be rhetorical but she blurted, “Dates. Lots of dates.”

Steve blinked in surprise, his burger halfway to his mouth. “I’m sorry?”

“My friends have given up on setting me up on blind dates since I always cancel.”

He stared at her. “How-how many blind dates did you miss?”

Darcy took another bite of her burger as she recalled them. “Johnny, the hotshot. Nick, a big mover and shaker from Hong Kong. Frank, who’s raising his little niece by himself. Ransom (and who in their right mind names their kid that?), a rich guy with a bad attitude and a wicked sense of humor. So that’s four. It’s funny, my friends described each of them as looking a lot like you.”

Steve choked on the sip of his drink he’d just taken. When he was done coughing, he asked carefully, “Did … did you specifically ask them to set you up with guys who look like me?”

“God, no,” she muttered. “First of all, nobody looks like you, I don’t know what my friends are thinking.”

“Then why-”

“They think that because I spend so much time with you, you must be my type.” Then she muttered, “Or something.”

“I see…” He sighed heavily. “Darcy, when we get back, I want you to seriously consider applying for a professorship at MCU.”

She stared at him. “Do you really think you can survive a whole year without me? My being here proves you can’t even go a week.”

“I’ll make do. I did before I stole you from Jane.”

Darcy raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t steal me, I switched with her blessing.”

He smiled a bit. “I remember it differently, but it doesn’t matter. What does matter is the next step in your career.”

She stared at him. “Are you firing me?”

“No,” he said quickly.

“Then you want me to quit.”

“I want us to come to a mutual decision that there are bigger and better things waiting for you.”

_Somehow, I doubt that._ “And if I decide I’m fine right where I am?”

Steve smiled a bit. “I can be very persuasive.”

She eyed him. “I know that for a fact but this time, it’s the irresistible force versus the immovable object.”

He just grinned knowingly.

_Dammit, he knows he’s irresistible._

_It’s gonna be a long week._


	4. Chapter 4

After a tour of the campus, Bruce invited them to his house for dinner with his family. Steve, never one to turn down a free meal, gladly accepted and he was barely able to contain his sigh of relief when Darcy did the same.

He didn’t know what to expect when they got to Bruce’s house but a rambunctious group of children and teenagers wasn’t it. Steve was an only child so a noisy, laugh-filled house where a Nerf battle was declared as soon as they walked in was like a foreign planet to him. Darcy, though, loved it and joined the girls team for a battle of the sexes.

Bruce chuckled at Steve’s dumbfounded look while they made dinner in Bruce’s huge kitchen. “They’re overwhelming at first, I know, but you’ll never find a better group of kids anywhere.”

“Where do they get all the energy?”

“They sleep like the dead every night. The few nights they don’t, this place looks like something out of a zombie movie.”

Steve grinned. “Reminds me of some of my early-morning classes.” He hesitated a moment.

Bruce smiled a bit. “You’re wondering if there’s a Mrs. Wayne.”

“Yeah,” he said, smiling sheepishly.

“Not yet, but a few women have come close. Damian’s mother, for one. Selina (my on-again, off-again, who-knows-where-we’re-at-now girlfriend) loves the kids to death but she’s not ready yet to be a parent to anyone besides her three cats.”

“I can understand that.” He hesitated again then decided to just barge ahead. “Last year, when DCEU tried to recruit Darcy-”

“Nothing happened between us, if that’s what you’re asking,” Bruce said, giving him an understanding smile. “It was obvious from the start that her heart was already taken, I just didn’t know who had it until today.”

Steve stared at him. “You think I have it?”

Bruce grinned. “It’s either you or Diana, what do you think?”

Before Steve could respond, he felt something small hit him in the butt then he heard giggling. Turning towards the doorway, he saw Darcy and the girls smiling at him innocently, though only Darcy was blushing. He bent over to pick up the Nerf dart then brought it over to her and held it up, smirking. “I believe this is yours.”

She grabbed it, blushing even harder. “Hair triggers on these things, you know,” she muttered, holding up the small Nerf gun in her hand.

Steve chuckled. “I’m sure.”

“Darcy!” one of the boys yelled from a different room. “Watch this!”

She grinned. “Gotta go, I’m being paged.” She followed the voice and the girls followed her.

Bruce chuckled. “That heart’s definitely yours.”

Steve couldn’t help but wonder if Bruce was right. _But if she does love me, then why won’t she take the professorship? Then we could be together._

* * *

On the drive back to the hotel, Steve was dying to ask her how she felt but he knew it was highly inappropriate. _I can’t even ask her while I’m her boss._

He could feel her eyes on him, though. “You should take a bath before bed,” she said.

Steve chuckled. “Do I smell that bad?”

He turned to her at the next stop light just in time to see her roll her eyes. “No, but you are tense as hell – your knuckles are frickin’ white.”

A glance at his hands on the steering wheel told him she was right. _I didn’t even realize._ The light turned green and he turned his attention back to the road, smiling a bit. “Yeah, but it’s the kind of tense a bath isn’t going to help.”

“Then what would...” She trailed off then said quietly, “Oh.” There was a single beat of awkward silence then she said quickly, “Look, just drop me off at the hotel and you can go find a bar or something. I’m sure it won’t take long for you to find a woman willing to, well…” She trailed off uncomfortably then added, “Just don’t forget that you’re giving a lecture at 10 tomorrow morning.”

“Darcy…” Sighing heavily, Steve gave up trying to explain his problem. “A beer does sound good.” _But not the other thing she’s suggesting. If I can’t have that with her, I’m certainly not going to have it with anyone else. _He pulled up to the hotel’s front doors. “Don’t wait up.”

“Believe me, I won’t,” she muttered then she looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Do you have your card?”

“Um, yeah, it’s in…” He trailed off when she held up both cards. “My assistant’s hand.” He reached out to take one, his fingers brushing hers and he felt … something. _I don’t know if that’s static electricity or just really good chemistry but I like it._

Her wide eyes told him she felt it too then she turned to get out of the car. “Try not to make a lot of noise when you get back,” she muttered, “some people need their rest.”

“Darcy…” he started to say but she quickly got out and closed the door before he could finish. Groaning, he drove off.

It took him a while to find a bar that wasn’t full of college kids, but finally he found a dive bar a few miles from the hotel. Once he was settled at a table in the back with a bottle of beer, he called Bucky.

“I take it this call means you and Darcy haven’t redefined your relationship yet,” Bucky said in lieu of a greeting.

Steve rolled his eyes. “Right as always.”

“So, what are you doing?”

“At the moment, nursing a beer while the woman I love is currently five miles away and probably getting ready for bed. Did I tell you I forgot to book a second room?”

Bucky burst out laughing. “Only you, pal.”

“It was unintentional, I swear,” Steve muttered.

“I know, and I’m sure Darcy knows that too, but you made things a lot harder (pun intended) on yourself.”

“Tell me about it.” He paused. “I have reason to believe she has feelings for me-”

“You mean besides the physical evidence?”

“What?”

“Darcy looks at you like you hung the moon.”

_That’s news to me._ “When?”

“When you’re not looking.” Bucky’s grin was audible.

Steve rolled his eyes. “But even if we do feel the same, I can’t act on our feelings while she works for me, and she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want to stop working for me.”

“Tough break, pal,” Bucky said sympathetically.

“What do I do, Buck?”

“The way I see it, you have two options – fire her or forget about dating her. The first one will break her heart.”

“And the second one will break mine,” he said quietly.

“But at least her heartbreak would be only temporary.”

“Hopefully.” He sighed heavily. “I’ll talk to Jane, maybe she can convince Darcy to work for her again.”

“Just remember to be gentle with Darcy when you fire her.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot, Buck.”

“You’re not, but this is one thing you can’t rush into, you know?”

“Right,” he sighed. “Thanks, Bucky.”

“Anytime.”

Steve tried to call Jane but only got her voicemail. Not knowing what else to do, he finished his beer then headed back to the hotel. Knocking lightly on the door, he then opened it slowly. Even though it was only just after eleven, all the lights were off and he could just make out a person-shaped mound on the bed, her face turned away from the door.

Sighing quietly, Steve grabbed his pajama pants and t-shirt from the dresser and went into the small bathroom to get ready for bed. By the time he came back out, Darcy had turned over onto her other side, her face just visible in the ambient light.

_She looks so peaceful while I’m anything but._ He soundlessly walked to the bed then pulled back the covers on the empty side. _So, Darcy sleeps on the left, good to know._ He got into bed as gently as he could so he wouldn’t disturb her but as soon as he laid his head on the pillow, he heard her voice.

“You’re back early,” she murmured. “I find it really hard to believe a guy like you couldn’t score, Rogers.” Her tone was casual but he thought, hoped he heard a tinge of jealousy.

“Have you always been a light sleeper?” he murmured back, amused, as he turned on his side towards her.

She ignored his question. “You said you wanted to relieve tension.”

He smiled a bit. “And I did – I had a beer and I talked to Bucky.”

“You still look pretty tense to me.”

“The only light in here is coming from outside, how can you tell I’m tense?”

“I know you. You don’t sound like you just got laid.”

He sighed. “You may know men in general but you haven’t been around me after I just got laid, by design.”

“And by that you mean…?” Her tone had softened but she sounded confused.

“I haven’t dated anyone in over two years and when I did date, I made sure never to talk to you about it.”

She paused. “Why is that?”

He raised an eyebrow, even though he knew she couldn’t see it. “I didn’t want you to think I was sexually harassing you?”

“No, I mean why haven’t you had a date for so long? And don’t say it’s because you bury yourself in your work – I know exactly how heavy your workload is.” There was a smile in her voice.

Steve chuckled. “Let’s just say I was tired of chasing after Miss Good Enough when I already had Miss Right.”

Even in the dark, he could feel her staring at him. “Steve…”

“Goodnight, Darce,” he murmured, grinning.

After a moment, she murmured, “Goodnight, Steve.”

Steve turned onto his back, still grinning. _I think she’s finally coming ‘round to my way of thinking._


	5. Chapter 5

Darcy woke up to an achingly-full bladder, a dark room, and someone snoring behind her. Rolling her eyes, she carefully got out of bed then silently walked over to the bathroom. By the time she had left it, Steve had shifted in his sleep so that his head was on her pillow and his body was splayed across the bed diagonally.

“Uh, no,” she muttered as she walked back to the bed, then she added, louder, “We’re not doing this. Steve?”

It took saying his name a couple of times before he woke up, blinking at her sleepily. “What’s wrong?” he mumbled.

“You’re taking up the entire bed. Considering it’s a queen, that’s pretty impressive.” The fact that he would’ve ended up with his face buried in her hair if she had remained in bed made her shiver.

“You’re cold,” he said, still half-asleep, then he quickly moved back to his side of the bed. “Sorry.”

She sighed quietly. “It’s okay,” she said as she got back into bed. “You were probably just looking for warmth, like a cat.”

Steve chuckled. “I’m usually compared to a golden retriever, so this is a nice change of pace.”

“Uh huh.” She turned onto her side, away from him. “Goodnight, again.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment then he murmured, “Darcy?”

_God, what I wouldn’t give for him to say my name like that all the time._ “Yeah?”

“Are you still cold?”

“What would you do if I said yes?” A whole bunch of scenarios came to mind, each more delicious than the last. _But if he says he’ll just turn up the heater, I don’t know what I’m gonna do._

“Hold you?”

_Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Calm down, Darcy. He’s still your boss, remember?_ “I, um, don’t think that would be a good idea.”

He sighed quietly and she felt his breath on her hair. “You’re probably right,” he muttered. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, Steve,” she said gently. “We just have to keep things professional.”

“Easier said than done.”

_It’s fine, we’re both just a little tense and a lot tired._ After listening to Steve’s soft breathing for a bit, she finally fell back asleep.

* * *

When she woke up again to the sound of her phone’s alarm going off, she was not surprised to find an arm wrapped around her waist and a warm, firm body pressed against her back. _The question is, what the hell do I do about it? _She reached over to turn off the alarm and was about to wriggle out of Steve’s hold when he pulled her even closer.

“Why do you get up so early?” he murmured sleepily. “My alarm won’t go off for another hour.”

“I need a lot of time to get ready.” She paused, sighing quietly. “Steve, your arm?”

“I’m good.”

“Uh huh.” She took his hand and reluctantly removed it from her waist. “We can’t do this.”

“It’s not like Fury is going to walk in here any minute.”

_There’s a mental image I didn’t need,_ she thought as she sat up then turned to look at him. “That’s not the point. You’re the boss, I’m the assistant. It’s bad enough that we’re sharing a bed. Getting cozy while doing so is … over the line.”

He grinned up at her. “It wouldn’t be if you got a professorship.”

“That’s not what I want,” she insisted, but it sounded unconvincing even to her.

Steve, of course, noticed. He sat up, his smile soft and his eyes dancing. “Are you sure about that?”

“You need me.”

“You’re right, I do,” he murmured.

“See?”

“Listen, Darcy.” When she raised an eyebrow, he added, “No, really listen. I need you in my life, and not as my TA. You’re the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning. When you’re not around, I wonder what you’re doing. When another man makes you laugh, I get so jealous. I know you could make me happy. All I want is the chance to prove I can do the same for you.”

Darcy shook her head in disbelief then stood up. “You could do better,” she said quietly as she gathered what she needed to take a shower.

Steve got out of bed then moved in front of her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “I guess I was too oblique last night – you’re Miss Right, Darcy. You’re the woman I’ve waited my whole life to find. You’re perfect.”

“What if I don’t see it?”

“That’s what this is about?” He sat down on the padded bench in front of the bed then gently pulled her into his lap, despite her weak protest. “Have you always had self-esteem issues or only recently?”

“I think Barnes is rubbing off on you,” Darcy muttered, not meeting his eyes.

“You’re evading the question.”

“See what I mean?”

“Darce…”

She forced herself to look into his eyes. “Steve, I look at you and I see the sweetest, smartest, sincerest, and hottest guy I’ve ever met and I … I’m just me.” He opened his mouth to protest and she held up a hand, stopping him. “You’re a star and I’m lucky to orbit around you.” Before he could say anything to that, she got off his lap and escaped to the bathroom.

Darcy spent the rest of the morning alternating between refusing to continue their conversation and herding Steve to his lecture. She stood at the back of the standing-room-only hall while Steve gave his lecture and she couldn’t have been more proud of him. He spoke clearly and with natural authority. Every question the students asked was answered with a smile and the most knowledgeable response he could give.

When the Q&A session had ended and the students had left for their next classes, Darcy made her way to the lecture podium while Steve put his things back in his bag.

“I’d say you hit this one out of the park,” she said, grinning. He always appreciated her baseball metaphors.

Steve chuckled. “Thanks. Well, after striking out this morning, I needed a homerun.”

She blinked in surprise. “Steve…” She sighed quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, Darce. It’s not your fault that my timing is horrible. C’mon, we want to beat the lunch rush, right?” He picked up his bag and headed for the door.

Darcy wondered for a moment if she was making a huge mistake before she followed him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank my readers for being so patient.

Steve deliberately kept the topics of conversation neutral during their lunch at a diner not far from campus. After Darcy excused herself to use the ladies room, he dashed off a text to Phil.

**Sir, I need to know if there are any professorships opening up.**

The response came a few minutes later. **You don’t have to call me Sir, Steve. As for openings, Sharon’s taking a year-long sabbatical starting next month, so we’ll have a temporary opening.**

He grinned. **That is just the answer I needed, thanks!**

**You’re welcome. Tell Darcy her interview can wait until the two of you get back.**

Steve stared at the text. _Phil knows? Fuck…_** Am I really that easy to read?**

**When it comes to Darcy, you’re transparent. But don’t worry, no one else knows.**

_Somehow, I doubt that._ ** Right. Thanks again, Sir.**

**You’re welcome.**

_At least this is good news, even if it means I’m not nearly as discreet as I thought._

“Something come up?” Darcy asked as she approached the table then sat down across from him.

He grinned. “Yes, but it’s good, I promise.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Good for whom?”

“For both of us, but especially you.”

She looked down at her plate and started eating the rest of her fries. “Steve, if it’s about the professorship-”

“It is. Sharon’s taking a year off, so there’ll be a vacancy in 19th Century History next month.”

Darcy stared at him. “And you know this how?”

He smirked. “A little birdy told me.”

She raised an eyebrow. “That birdy’s name wouldn’t happen to be Phil, would it?”

“Maybe.”

She groaned quietly. “Steve… I don’t want you making big decisions like this for me.”

“I’m not, I swear,” he said gently, reaching out to take her hand. When she didn’t pull away, he knew she was truly listening. “It’s just an interview, I promise. I know 19th Century is your specialty, this could be perfect for you. It’s just for a year, then you can decide if you want to do something else.”

Darcy looked more torn than he’d ever seen her. “But what about you?”

Steve smirked again. “Sam is always saying Bucky drives him crazy, it wouldn’t be hard to get him to switch to my side.”

“I … I need some time to think about it.”

“Take all the time you need. Well, until Monday – that’s when the interview is.”

Darcy nodded, looking absolutely miserable when he thought she would be elated. “Can we go?” she asked quietly.

Steve nodded. “Sure, Darce.”

After the silent ride back to the hotel, Darcy declared that she needed some fresh air, then left before he even had a chance to offer to go with her. He flopped onto the bed, feeling utterly defeated.

_What else can I do to convince her?_ After a moment, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Nat.

“Hey,” she said, amused. “I take it the ‘convince Darcy to date me’ plan isn’t going well if you’re calling me before you even get back.”

“You’ve been talking to Bucky,” he muttered.

“Of course, he’s my boyfriend.”

“He also has a big mouth.” Steve sighed heavily. “I told her how I felt. I told her about an opening in the History department. I’ve done everything I can to convince her that we belong together but I don’t think it’s enough.”

There was a pause. “What if you’re wrong? You have to consider the possibility that you and Darcy aren’t meant to be together.”

“Believe me, I’ve considered it,” he muttered. “But every time I picture us going on like this forever, it physically hurts. I wish I knew what was holding her back.”

“What has she told you?”

Steve sighed quietly. “That she’s not good enough. I don’t know where her self-esteem problems are coming from.”

“From what Jane said-”

“Wait, you know Jane? You’ve talked to her about me and Darcy?” _I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing._

“There aren’t many female professors here so yes, I know them all. As for discussing you and Darcy, _Dancing With The Stars_ has nothing on you two dancing around each other.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Nat. The whole faculty must know about us by now.”

“Everybody except Fury.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And you know that how?”

“Maria runs interference. Nobody’s a bigger fan of you two than her.”

Steve relaxed. “Remind me to send that woman flowers.”

“Will do,” Nat said, amused. “As I was saying, Jane said Darcy’s last boyfriend was an emotionally abusive asshole. He made Darcy feel like shit for almost a year until she finally dumped him.”

“That must’ve been before we met.” He ran an agitated hand through his hair. “God, if he screwed with her head like that, no wonder she thinks she’s not good enough. I have to find her.”

“Where is she?”

“She said she needed some fresh air.”

“Don’t go after her. Wait till she comes back, then she’ll be ready to talk.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. In the meantime, see if Jane can tell you more about the ex.”

“Good idea. Thanks, Nat.”

“Anytime, Steve.”

He texted Jane but she was in a lecture. When Darcy didn’t come back after an hour, he sent her a text. **You okay or should I send out a search party?**

Her reply came a minute later. **I’m fine, I just needed more air than I thought.**

**Are you coming back soon? We still need to talk.**

**Can the talking wait?**

He sighed quietly. **No, Darce. We need to talk this out.**

The sound of the door opening made him jump. He looked up to see Darcy coming in.

“Yeah, I had a feeling you’d say that,” she muttered.

Steve sat up, not taking his eyes off her. “Darcy-”

“Don’t,” she cut in quietly. “Just … don’t. Not until I’m ready. Just … give me a minute, okay?”

“Whatever you need,” he said gently.

She hesitated before grabbing her pajamas and going into the bathroom. She came back out looking determined and Steve was glad to see it.

_She must’ve given herself a pep talk in there. Good._ He was sitting cross-legged on the bed and he pat the space in front of him, smiling. “Have a seat.”

Darcy climbed onto the bed then mirrored his position. “Look, I don’t know how much you know about my past-”

“I tried to talk to Jane, she’s in a lecture. But Nat told me you had an abusive ex?”

She nodded. “The guy was a total loser who got off on making me feel like an even bigger loser.”

He raised an eyebrow. “From what I hear, that’s putting it mildly.”

Darcy shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “Yeah, well, there are some things I don’t want to go into. It took years of therapy and I’m only now thinking about myself as average.” She looked up at him. “You telling me that I’m special, special enough to date, well, I’m not at a place mentally where I can agree with you yet.”

“What do you think it would take to get you there?” he asked softly as he took her hands. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

“First, therapy – I still see my therapist every other week on Wednesdays.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You said that was a yoga class.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like I was really going to tell you I was in therapy.” She sighed. “I don’t want to push you away. I can’t, you’re too big a part of my life. I don’t know if I’ll ever be truly ready for a relationship … but I want to try anyway. But, I know I’m going to need all the support and encouragement you can give me.”

“You’ll have it,” he said gently. “You’ve always had it, but I’m going to redouble my efforts. You are special, Darcy, and I’ll help you realize it.”

“If anyone can, it’s you.”

He smiled softly. “Do you want to say it or should I?”

She smiled back. “Let’s say it together. One. Two. Three.”

“You’re fired,” he said, grinning, and at the same time, she said, “I quit.”

They both laughed softly. “Now that that’s out of the way,” he said, bringing a hand up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, “what do you want to do?”

“How ‘bout a nap?”

He grinned. “A nap sounds perfect.”


	7. Chapter 7

Darcy woke from her nap feeling more comfortable and content than she had in a long time. Finding Steve’s arm around her waist for the second time that day certainly had something to do with it. _Wouldn’t it be nice to have every morning start like this? _By the sound of his even breathing, she knew he was still asleep.

Needing to see his face, she slowly turned onto her other side. He instinctively pulled her closer but didn’t wake up. She hesitated a moment before reaching up to lightly stroke his jawline, his beard softer than she expected. _What will it feel like when we kiss?_

“I can shave it off if you want,” he murmured, his eyes still closed.

She raised an eyebrow, amused. “When did you wake up?”

He opened his eyes to smile at her softly. “When you first touched me. You didn’t answer my question. I’ve only had it for a year, I’m not completely attached to it.”

Darcy smirked. “And in that year, attendance in your classes has gone up ten percent.”

Steve grinned. “I thought that was because of my incredible teaching skills.”

“Oh, it was,” she murmured, “your increased sexiness was just a bonus.”

He chuckled. “Increased, huh?”

“Well, yeah,” she said, grinning wide. “You went from clean-cut pretty boy to rugged sex god. I noticed, every student who’s into men noticed, hell, the whole planet noticed.”

“‘Rugged sex god,’ huh?” he asked, his eyes dancing. “I can maybe agree with the rugged part but sex god? That’s assuming a lot there, Darce.”

Lowering her hand to lightly stroke a trail down his neck, she murmured, “Tell that to my fantasies,” then she winced, shutting her eyes. _Shit, I said that out loud, didn’t I? _“Sorry,” she muttered.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked softly.

“I’m sure you didn’t want to know that I’ve been thinking about you, me, and your desk since we met.” She winced again. “Sorry, again.”

“Darcy, any man would be grateful to know an amazing woman like you fantasizes about him.” He grinned. “I’m relieved since it means I’ve been in your fantasies for as long as you’ve been in mine.”

She stared at him. “Really?”

Steve chuckled. “Why do you think I didn’t stand up when you left after our first interview?”

Heat rose in her face as she realized what he was saying. “You were that attracted to me?”

He grinned. “What can I say? After spending years lecturing about WWII-era pin-up girls, seeing one walk into my office had a profound effect on me.” He lightly brushed the backs of his fingers on her overly-warm cheek. “It wasn’t until I got to know you and learned you’re snarky with a big heart, you create order out of my chaos, and you have the best sense of humor that I realized I admired you as much as I was attracted to you. And when I realized how much my admiration and attraction have only grown over the years, that’s when I realized I lo-”

She laid a finger over his mouth. “Don’t ... not yet.”

“Too soon?” he asked gently

“After knowing each other for this long, maybe not, but I’m not ready to hear it yet.”

Steve nodded. “Alright. I’ll say it when you’re ready.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled softly. “So, what are you ready for? Dating?”

Darcy grinned, relieved that he understood. “Yep.”

“Kissing?”

In response, she kissed him softly. His beard did tickle pleasantly, even more so when he kissed her back.

After a moment, he pulled back, grinning. “Good answer.” His expression softened as he ran a hand over her hair. “Making love?”

“As much as I want to see how you compare to my fantasies, I want to wait.” She held her breath, suddenly anxious about his response.

Steve nodded. “If nothing else, I know you’re worth waiting for.”

Her breath came out in a whoosh as her jaw dropped. “You … you really think so?”

“I know so. And when you know it too, that’ll be the right time.”

She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder. “Thank you... I’m sorry I’m so fucked up.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he murmured as he held her close. “You understand that, right?”

Darcy nodded. “That was the first thing I had to learn in therapy.” She lifted her head to smile weakly. “My therapist actually gave me a gold star sticker when I made that breakthrough.”

Steve chuckled. “You do love stickers. I’d like to meet her.”

“I’m sure she’ll want me to bring you along for a session, now that we’re a thing.”

“‘Thing?’” he asked, grinning. One hand came up to tickle her side.

Darcy giggled. “Okay, okay! We’re a couple!”

“Much better,” Steve murmured, his eyes dancing.

* * *

_Two months later_

Darcy graded the last final exam then dropped her head onto her folded arms, mentally exhausted. She didn’t bother looking up when she heard someone knock on the open office door. “I hope you’ve come bearing tribute,” she muttered, her voice muffled by her sweater.

“The best tribute,” Steve said, his grin audible, “Starbucks.”

She held up one hand, not bothering to lift her head. Steve chuckled as he placed the cup in her hand then he sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

“That bad?” he asked.

Darcy sat up then took a sip before answering, “They weren’t hard, just really, really time consuming. Next time, the test is just gonna be one question.”

“I tried that once, remember?” Steve asked, smirking. “Phil said I had to make the test longer.”

“Grr.” She took another sip then looked over at her boyfriend. “Are we still goin’ to the end of the semester party?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

She smirked. “Did you remember your White Elephant gift?”

“It’s in the car,” he said confidently. “Sam’s daily checklist is very helpful.”

“Yeah,” she muttered, smiling a bit, “now that he knows not to email it to you.”

“Hey,” he protested mildly, grinning, “I only lost my phone once.”

Darcy smirked. “For a whole day, the same day Sam had to take his bird to the vet, and you had no idea what you were supposed to be doing.”

“It’s my first smartphone, I wasn’t used to having it yet. But you found it, so it’s not like I had to replace it.”

“Uh huh. You’re just lucky I checked in between the cushions on my couch,” she said as she got her things together.

Steve grinned. “And now I remember to take my phone out of my pocket before we start making out.”

Darcy blushed even more than usual since Steve talking about their make-out sessions reminded her of her plan. _Should I tell Steve now that I’m going to seduce him later? Nah, why spoil the surprise?_ She got up then Steve helped her into her coat.

“Did I embarrass you?” he asked softly.

“No, I was just reminded of the last time we made out.”

“Yeah, that hickey took days to disappear,” he said, chuckling.

Darcy grinned. “I’d apologize but nope, not the least bit sorry.”

Steve smiled at her proudly. “You’ve come a long way, Darce.”

She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. “Thanks. I’ve still got a long way to go, though.”

“You’ll get there,” he said confidently.


End file.
